Twisted Wonderland
by Roselilia
Summary: When Ace vanished Luffy never gave up in trying to find him. After 3 years he also vanished into a world that is nothing like his own. Will he be able to find Ace or will he be another victim in the land called Wonderland? AU
1. Ace

This is a story I wrote but posted on a different account but due to a few reason I decided to post it on here instead.

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Luffy and Ace were well known in Foosha village. They weren't related by blood but that never stopped them from being brothers. Not a day went by where they didn't see each other to come up with some prank to pull on the dull and unsuspecting villagers. It wasn't that they were mean or anything it was just that the village was small and dull so fun was hard to come by. It didn't help that there weren't that many kids their own age to play with either so they mainly only had each other.

They were also way too curious for their own good. It bit them in the ass more than once. Forbidding them from going somewhere only encouraged them to go ahead and do it. They went everywhere, their favourite pastime was exploring.

They particularly liked exploring the dark old forest that was near the village. It didn't matter how bright the day was it was always dark as night in the forest. The villagers had thousands of stories about the forest and how people went missing in it never to be seen again.

Ace and Luffy never really believed the stories. They thought the villagers just made them up for fun or to pass time. They went to the forest a few times although never far enough to get lost or anything but enough to feel the thrill of doing something they weren't allowed to do. It was fun. Until Ace went missing.

It had been just like every other time they had gone exploring. They hadn't even gone that far, they could still see the bright light behind them signalling the exit. Luffy had turned away from Ace for just a mere minute to gaze at some berries and try to figure out if they were edible or not. When he had turn back, berries in hand, Ace was gone.

There had been no scream or sound. He was just gone. Vanished. Luffy knew that Ace wouldn't have just left him alone either. They went everywhere and no matter how many times Luffy stopped to gaze at a butterfly or something Ace always stopped and waited for him before moving on.

So the second that he realized Ace wasn't there he knew something was wrong. He ran through the forest screaming Ace's name until his throat was raw but no matter how far he went his brother was nowhere to be found.

The villagers didn't bother helping him find Ace. As soon as they found out where Ace had gone missing they just assumed that the forest had claimed another victim. But that didn't stop Luffy from looking for him every day. For 3 years Luffy looked for his brother and not once did the thought of giving up cross his mind even when hope seemed lost. 3 long years of looking until finally, something happened.

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Well hope you guys liked the first chapter. This story is loosely very loosely based on a youtube video I watched. www . youtube watch?v=nwAjtimRt00&list=FL-lNw5EDCsn-YTAOlkm-spw&index=20&feature=plpp_video(removed the spaces)


	2. Chesire Cat

Luffy walked through the forest as he did everyday not even bothering to check how far he had gone. He had long stopped caring if he had gone too far in or not hell he had stopped caring if the forest took him victim because at least then he would be with his brother.

It was late fall and even though all the trees in the village were turning orange, red and yellow the trees in the forest always stayed the same. It was as if time permanently stopped in the forest.

Luffy sighed. Today marked the 3rd anniversary of Ace's disappearance. It was hard to believe that it had been a whole three years now. Still Luffy would keep looking until he found his older brother no matter how many years passed. He felt it in every fibre of his body that Ace was still alive. Even though the villagers told him otherwise and insisted he stopped going into the forest before he became a victim also he thanked them for their advice and kept looking.

Luffy shivered as a cold breeze brushed past him and he rubbed his arms trying to generate more warmth in his freezing limbs. It was probably evening by now and he should get home before he missed dinner.

He turned around and suddenly something moved in the corner of his eye but when he turned to look it was gone. Luffy stayed looking at the direction for a few minutes hoping it would come back. For the three years that he had been looking for Ace not once had he ever seen an animal, not even a squirrel.

When Luffy was convinced that whatever had moved was gone or maybe he imagined it he began to walk to the direction the village was in. Suddenly the sound of a branch breaking came from behind him and Luffy swung around and looked around frantically for the source of the sound but nothing was there.

Luffy instinctively knew something was wrong. Fear ran through him and he started shaking. The forest, which usually seemed so dead, was now alive. Luffy saw dark shadows moving all around him, the bushes and branches started making rustling sounds and Luffy could have sworn he heard laughter in the wind that blew past him.

"Who's there?" Luffy shouted, his brown his frantically looking at his surroundings. Suddenly the bushes in front of him started moving like something was making its way out. Luffy's breathe caught and he waited wondering if it was the thing that took his brother.

The bushes moved more and more until finally something came out. It was small and dark. Luffy couldn't see it very well because there wasn't much light in the forest but he could tell it was a small animal. The creature, as soon as it stepped out of the bush, stayed still and seemed to just stare at Luffy as if waiting for his reaction.

The boy crouched down in order to get a better look. He could make out dark fur, hooves instead of paws and small white budding antlers on top of its head. It was a baby deer. Smiling, for this was the first form of life he had found in 3 years, he reached out and petted the deer. He frowned when instead of touching warm soft fur he touched something wet and thick.

He brought his hand back and examined it, just barely making out something dark on his hand. Blood? Was the animal hurt?

"Hey buddy what happened to you?" Luffy asked with a grimace.

"I'm late. I'm very very late. She will be angry." Luffy jumped at the shrill voice that sounded so close to him.

"Who's there?" Luffy shouted when he didn't see anybody. What was going on? Nobody answered and Luffy leapt to his feet. "Who's there? Answer me!"

"I am late. I must go to her. So very late." Luffy froze and slowly looked down to the deer that had started to slowly walk away. The voice…it sounded like…it had come from the deer. But that wasn't possible!

"Wait!" Luffy shouted as the deer began to pick up speed. "Wait for me!"

He chased after the deer ignoring the fact that it must be late by now and that the deer instead of going in the direction of the village was instead making its way to the deeper and darker part of the forest. Everything screamed at Luffy to stop, to go back, but he ignored his instincts. All he could think of was that maybe the deer knew where Ace was.

The further in Luffy went the more things seemed to change. The shadows that had been moving earlier were now moving faster and if Luffy had to guess he would have said that they seemed to be dancing. The branches and even the trees seemed to be moving all around him but Luffy dared not stop chasing after the deer to check if he was right.

Darkness swirled all around him and it started to get really hard to keep the deer in sight. Luffy started to feel dizzy and his entire body started to feel really heavy making it hard to keep running. Suddenly he felt something wrap around his ankle and with a strangled yelp Luffy fell to the ground, hitting his head.

Luffy groaned as pain erupted through his head and he opened his eyes, crying in dismay when he realized he lost the deer. He tried to get up and look for it but his body was just too heavy. His eyelids were just as heavy and while he had been able to keep them open when he was running, the temptation to close them was just too great while lying down.

Luffy closed his eyes and right before he passed out, he heard a dark chucked resonate through the forest.

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Luffy slowly drifted into consciousness wincing when he realized how sore and stiff his body was. It felt like something heavy had decided to jump on top of him a couple of times. Groaning, Luffy opened his eyes and he immediately shot to his feet.

He wasn't in the same forest anymore. He was in a forest still but there was no way it was the same one. Unlike the other forest this one was nice and bright so he could see everything with perfect clarity. Also the entire atmosphere was different. While the dark forest emitted a daunting and dangerous aura, this forest was welcoming and warm.

"Where am I?" Luffy asked himself as he looked around. He needed to get home. Even though it was bright right now his instincts told him it was late. But he didn't even know where he was never mind where home was.

"Welcome to Wonderland Alice." A voice purred and Luffy swung his head around looking for the source but he couldn't see anyone. He could tell that it wasn't the deer. This voice was deep and playful compared to the deer's shrill and slightly panicked one.

"Who's there?" Luffy asked, yelping when he felt something brush against his leg but when he looked down, nothing was there.

"It's not as much as who as what." The voice replied thoughtfully and Luffy looked up at the treetops wondering if the person speaking was hiding there. He couldn't pinpoint the direction the voice was coming from, it sounded like it was coming from everywhere.

"Okay, what are you?" Luffy asked deciding to play along and was rewarded with a chuckle.

"I am everything and nothing. I exist and yet I don't. But to ease the awkwardness you may call me Chesire Cat."

"Cat?" Another animal perhaps? Luffy would question if he was sleeping or not and this was a just a dream but the stiffness in his limbs told him that he was awake. Maybe this was a joke. Maybe the villagers had become frustrated with him and decided to teach him a lesson for continuing to go into the forest.

"Well, I'm not exactly a cat. The first Chesire was more cat than I am but the first Alice sliced and diced him so you're stuck with me. The poor thing, the grass was red for such a long time." Instead of a regretful or mournful tone, the voice sounded absolutely gleeful.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Luffy finally demanded feeling uneasy that he couldn't see the speaker.

"Oh, very well but that ruins the mystery just to have you know." This time Luffy pinpointed the voice was coming from behind him and he swung around finally laying his eyes on the speaker.

It was an older man. He was taller than Luffy and had blood red hair, black eyes three scars going over his left one and he wore a cloak that covered his entire body although Luffy noticed how the cloak seemed to end shorted where the left shoulder should be. Like he didn't have much of a shoulder there. But most noticeable about the man was the red cat ears perched on top of his head and the equally red tail that peeked out under the cloak.

"Hello Alice." The man greeted, licking his lips eagerly. Luffy frowned.

"My name isn't Alice. It's Luffy." The boy corrected and the Chesire Cat chuckled.

"I know your real name but none the less whoever is unfortunate to stumble into this place is called Alice. It saves the trouble of remembering names." The Chesire cat replied with a wide grin.

"Where is here anyway?"

"Wonderland. You should pay attention I said that earlier." Chesire cat chastised as he began to slowly circle Luffy as if he was prey. Luffy knew he should be worried and cautious but somehow deep in his mind he knew that this man wouldn't hurt him.

"How did I get here? What is Wonderland? Is Ace here? How do I get back?" Luffy asked hoping to get some real answers. Shanks laughed loudly and shook his head.

"One at a time, one at a time. Although our time is limited and so are my answers. After all I can't very well ruin all the surprises awaiting you." Chesire cat tilted his head as if he was trying to listen for something. "You came here because you fell into the third Alice's trap and went too far into the forest."

"Third Alice? Trap? What do you mean?" Luffy asked, remembering the deer. It hadn't seemed like a trap.

"Yes third Alice. There are 4 Alice's so far and there will always be 4 Alice's. The third likes to collect people though and she sends out creatures of her own creations to go out and bring people here. Anyway, enough of that," The Chesire cat paused as if he had heard something over in the distance. "Our time is coming to an end."

"Wait but I need more answers!" Luffy shouted and the Chesire cat gave him a wry smile.

"All you need to know is your brother, the one who stumbled here 3 years ago, is here and is more or less alive. In order to find him you need to get past all four Alice's and he will be there. That is all I can say the rest is up to you."

"Wait!" Luffy shouted but before is very eyes the cat began to disappear. Just faded from existence like a ghost. Luffy was once again by himself. Sighing, Luffy looked around not sure what direction to go to. Suddenly, like sensing his confusion, a golden path appeared in front of him. He hesitated before he began to slowly walk down it.

None of this made sense to him and the Chesire cat, as grateful as Luffy was, actually gave him for questions instead of answers. But he did know one thing, his brother was here. No matter how weird this situation was he was going to get his brother back. At any cost.

Up on a tree branch, Chesire cat watched the boy walk down the golden path. For three years he had secretly watched Luffy, making sure to not let anything lure him into this world. He had taken an odd liking to the boy ever since he had first seen him, after his brother had fallen into wonderland. Unfortunately, this time he had been unable to help him. He couldn't go against Alice's wishes and she wanted Luffy. After all, he was just a Chesire Cat.

"Good luck Alice." Chesire cat muttered.


	3. Spades

**Chapter 3: Spades**

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The first ALICE was a violent spirit, the woman of the spade,

She wandered through Wonderland until a strange sword was found,

With newfound power, she slew all in her way to power,

She created paths of blood that followed her through Wonderland,

Her hands growing redder with each step, the first ALICE slowly went mad,

Imprisoned in her sins, the murderer collapsed in on herself,

For her crimes, she was all but forgotten,

And the first flower had fallen.

Luffy wasn't sure how long he had been walking for. It seemed like hours but nothing changed. All the trees were beginning to look the same and there was nothing distinguishable like a type of flower or even bushes.

He knew his body should be feeling tired by now, for even though he didn't know how long he had been walking, he knew it had been a while since he had begun, yet his body felt oddly refreshed.

Suddenly he spotted something different. Up ahead was a bush, the first he had seen so far, and if he squinted he saw that the bush had some sort of fruit. He ran to the bush to further examine it. They were oranges. Big plump oranges. Luffy considered plucking one and eating it but something told him not to. That if he did trouble would occur.

So ignoring his now grumbling stomach, Luffy continued onward, realizing that the orange bushes were popping up everywhere as if to tempt him. But he ignored the temptation and kept on going despite the growls that were coming from his stomach.

Soon Luffy realized that the farther he went, the darker it was becoming. His instincts told him to stop, go back, but knowing that his brother was at the end of this path he ignored the warning and kept on going. He was so close to getting his brother back he wasn't going to go back. And even if he did, there was no guarantee that the exit to this crazy world was there. No, he would keep going forward.

As he kept walking his ear began to pick up an odd sound. Picking up his pace, Luffy followed the sound, going off the path in order to keep track of it. Maybe it was the Chesire Cat. If it was maybe he could get even more answers. The louder the noise became the more it sounded like…Laughter.

The laughter grew louder and louder until Luffy finally stumbled on what he could only describe as a cage. Only instead of metal or steel bars the cage was made of what looked like thick green vines with sharp black thorns. And there was no door as far as he could see.

There was a movement inside the cage and Luffy peered past the vines to see a woman. At first glance she looked perfectly normal. She had short orange hair with matching eyes and wore a deep brownish red shirt and skirt. Nothing different from any other woman in his village except perhaps the unique hair and eye color. Then, as Luffy looked closer, he noticed that the shirt had small blotches of white and the skirt was dripping red liquid down her legs. Horror ran through him as he realized that she was actually covered in blood.

Slowly lifting his head from her clothing he looked into her eyes which were wide in excitement. She walked toward Luffy who couldn't help but take a step back for every one that she took forward. He saw no wounds on her despite all the blood and knew that it wasn't her blood all over her and he sensed that she was very dangerous. Soon she reached the bars which she gripped tightly not even seeming to realize that the thorns pierced her hands causing them to bleed.

"Another Alice?" The woman questioned, tilting her head curiously. "Perhaps to replace me? Are you going to kill me?"

"No!" Luffy shouted, staring in shock when she actually pouted.

"How disappointing." She muttered as she raised one of her hands and licked at the blood. The red liquid stained her lips like lipstick. "I want more blood. I want blood everywhere. I want the grass to be stained red again but this place won't let me."

_"The first Chesire was more cat than I am but the first Alice sliced and diced him so you're stuck with me. The poor thing, the grass was red for such a long time."_

"Are you the first Alice?" Luffy whispered and the woman cackled.

"Yes, the first to come to this world. It's been so long now. Years and years and years and years. But I remember it just like yesterday. It was so much fun! So many things to kill! But they didn't like it, no, not at all. They trapped me here as punishment. But I will get out, mark my words, and when I do, I will destroy everything! EVERYTHING WILL BE RED!" The woman shrieked and she thrust her arms out, seeming to reach for Luffy, ignoring the thorns that bit into her skin. Her blood thirsty eyes were wide and Luffy could clearly see the insanity swirling in them. He wanted to run. Hell it took everything in him to keep his legs from carrying him away but he had to ask her just one last thing.

"Did someone by the name of Ace come by here?" Luffy shouted over her shrieking. The first Alice gave him a maniacal smirk before she began to laugh loudly. Deciding that he wouldn't get anything from her and that it would be a waste of time trying to do so he finally gave in to his urge and ran away, her peals of laughter fading the farther he went. As he was running he noticed with morbid fascination that the oranges that he had wanted to eat earlier were now dripping with blood. In fact, everything was covered in blood now. Even the grass he was running on made a squishing sound every time he stepped on it because it was soaked in blood.

Luffy ran faster than he ever ran before. He was running even faster than the time he and Ace had been running away from a huge brown bear that they had accidently stumbled up on. How did he get caught up in all this? All he wanted was to find Ace and get the hell out of this crazy world but he was beginning to doubt he would be able to do either. Would he be stuck here forever?

Eventually the blood began to fade and much to his relief, Luffy was able to find the golden path he had strayed from. With a bit more caution and nervousness, Luffy continued to follow it, glad to leave the blood and the first Alice behind him. Although he had to wonder if he would have to get past the other Alice's as well and if they were as crazy as the first one. He had been lucky that the first Alice had been in a cage but what if the other Alice's weren't? He knew how to fight, he and Ace sparred against each other daily although that was 3 years ago, but he didn't know how strong the Alice's were. Or how psychotic.

"Oh well, I'll beat them all up! I'll bring Ace back and we'll celebrate with hundred pounds of meat!" Luffy declared loudly, not caring if anyone heard him or not.


	4. Diamond

Thank you for your reviews :3

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The second ALICE was a neurotic soul,

Only wishing to be loved,

He had a wonderful voice,

And, attracting many a friend with it, was happy,

But, someone told him it was for his voice,

Fearing the truth, he attempted to run,

Trapped in his nightmare, he took his own life,

And the second flower fell.

Luffy still had no clue how long he had been walking for. The sun was still high in the sky but intuition told him that it should be pitch black right now. If he had been in the village he would be tucked into bed fast asleep dreaming about finding Ace and going on adventures like his older brother said they would do. Time certainly moved differently in this world making it impossible to tell the time.

A breeze blew past him and Luffy immediately went on guard when he heard a strange sound. He only relaxed when he was completely sure that it wasn't laughter. In fact, the more Luffy listened the more it began to sound like someone singing. The voice was male, Luffy realized as the sound became louder as he walked down the golden path that was leading him to the source of the sound. He was still terrified that this person, who he suspected to be the second Alice, would be like the first one but he had no choice but to follow the golden path. No, that wasn't true, he did have a choice but the golden path seemed to be the most promising to leading him to where his brother was.

Eventually, as Luffy continued forward, he began to hear the song more clearly although he soon realized that he couldn't understand the words. It was in a different language and not having much experience with foreign languages he couldn't tell which it was. But despite the fact that he couldn't understand the words he could tell that the song was sad by how low the tone was and how the voice was dripping in sorrow.

It was then that Luffy decided that this Alice wasn't anything like the first one. The first Alice was full of anger and hate while this one seemed to embody despair and anguish. Of course he had no actual proof of this besides his gut feeling but his instincts were almost always right.

'Only one way to find out.' Luffy thought to himself as he entered a clearing.

There, in the middle of the clearing, was a tree stump and perched on the tree stump was a man obviously older than Luffy by a few years. He had short blonde hair that covered one of his sapphire blue eyes that had a long elegantly curled eyebrow above them and he wore a long blue scarf around his neck. Luffy examined the black jacket with golden buttons and soft grey dress pants that the man wore, relieved when he couldn't find a trace of blood on them. The man looked sophisticated and resembled someone who was of high class. A good sign.

"Hello?" Luffy said hesitantly and the man stopped singing and slowly turned to him. The man examined him closely before his lips slowly curved into a smile.

"Another Alice, how wonderful." The man said gleefully. "It's been so long since someone new has stumbled into this world."

"I came here looking for my brother. His name is Ace, have you seen him?" Luffy asked, deciding not to correct the man and tell him his real name. Just because this Alice seemed more or less sane did not mean that he should stick around for too long.

"Ace? No, I can't say I have. But if he is here and still alive then you will find him eventually. For now, why don't you stay with me? It's been so long since anyone's been here. So very long." The second Alice pleaded desperately and Luffy took a step back. He knew that it could get dangerous if he refused but he needed to get going. Something in him told him that it was a bad idea to stay in one place for too long. He had to keep going.

"I can't I'm sorry. I need to find my brother." Luffy said apologetically and the man tilted his head like he couldn't understand.

"You won't be my friend?" The voice changed into a dark and ominous tone and Luffy winced. The only reason that he didn't go running was because the golden path continued on past the second Alice and if he tried to find a way around the clearing off it then he would probably get lost. He was pretty bad with directions and usually ended up in even more trouble. His only other option though was to get past the man and get to the other side of the clearing.

"It's not that. I would love to be your friend but I can't stay here." Luffy explained slowly, reassessing the man. He noticed how long the man's legs were and knew without a doubt that he couldn't outrun him. But he had to try. He didn't have any other choice.

So taking a deep breath, Luffy sprinted across the clearing. At first he thought the man was going to let him go since he didn't move at first. Then, he was gone. One second he was still perched on the tree stump the next, he just vanished. Instead of stopping to figure out where he had gone, Luffy kept going. He was so close to the edge of the clearing. Just a few more steps.

Then something slammed into his stomach, making him fly and hit the ground hard. Before he could recover the man was on top of him, pinning him down. The second Alice leaned forward so his face was inches away from Luffy's.

"I won't let you go. You'll be my friend forever. You will stay here forever with me." The man said demandingly and the hair that was covering his other eye suddenly shifted, revealing what was underneath. Or what wasn't. Luffy screamed when instead of a matched blue eye, there was just a hole. A black hole that went deep into the man's head.

Luffy had seen something similar once before although not as close up. It was when food was scarce so Ace had taken him into a nearby field, taking a gun with him. They were going hunting, Ace had told him and at the time Luffy was too young to really understand. He had followed Ace as the older boy slowly weaved through the grass, gun raised and ready. Luffy didn't really know what a gun was either, just that it was dangerous and that he shouldn't touch it.

Suddenly, Ace had pressed something on the gun and there was a loud bang that had made him shout in surprise. He had yelled at Ace, thinking he only did it to scare him, which was usually the case. But Ace had pointed up ahead and Luffy saw the dead body of a rabbit. Against Ace's advice he ran to the unfortunate animal, still not fully understanding what had happened, and saw a big hole where the eye should have been.

Luffy was reminded of this as he peered into the hole in the second Alice's head and knew without a doubt that the same thing had happened to him. Blood leaked out of the gunshot wound and dripped onto Luffy's face, making the boy squirm and fight against the hold pinning him to the ground.

"Let me go!" Luffy shouted but he wasn't strong enough to throw the bigger man off him. Suddenly there was a burst of wind strong enough to force him to close his eyes. Luffy felt the weight on top of him disappear but waited for the wind to dissipate before he opened his eyes again.

When he was finally able to open his eyes he looked around and realized he was no longer in the clearing. Instead he was in a huge field and in front of him was a long table which looked like it belonged in a mansion or a huge public building. There was nothing on the table except a clean snow white table cloth. The chairs that surrounded the table were elegant and looked to be made from gold. And sitting daintily at the end of the table was a woman.

She had long black hair which was partially covered by a purple cowboy's hat, wide blue eyes that glinted with amusement and she wore a purple outfit that showed off her slender body. Even though she didn't look threatening, Luffy kept his guard up. The second Alice hadn't looked threatening either. This was probably the third Alice and Luffy was beginning to suspect that all the Alice's, at least the ones he had seen so far, are bat shit crazy.

"Please have a seat." The woman offered with a wave of her hand. Not thinking it wise to go against her, Luffy took a seat at the opposite end of the table, keeping a comfortable distance from her. She didn't seem to mind instead she gave him a smile. His body remained tense, ready to spring into action.

"Are you the third Alice?" Luffy asked and she shook her head.

"No, I was born along with Wonderland much like the Chesire Cat. You may call me Mad Hatter, everyone else does." She replied, the smile on her face not once faltering and Luffy found it a bit eerie but hearing that she wasn't an Alice made him feel better. After all Chesire Cat had turned out to be okay so perhaps she would be also.

"Were you the one to save me from that man?" Luffy asked and she nodded.

"Yes, the second Alice would have hindered your journey and I couldn't have that," Luffy opened his mouth to ask another question but she held up her hand to stop him. "Please, before we continue let's eat. You must be starving by now."

As she spoke food began to magically appear from thin air. As if she had read his mind and found out what he liked best, most of the plates had piles of assorted meat piled on them. The air became thick with the aroma of food that had Luffy's mouth drooling. Up until now, Luffy was too preoccupied with staying alive that he hadn't even thought about his stomach but faced with all the food his stomach growled hungrily.

He began to dig in, not being able to resist the temptation. Besides, if she really wanted to hurt him then she probably would have already. The food was delicious although Luffy was more focused on getting it down his throat than tasting it. He vaguely realized that he could hear someone playing the violin but he bother turning to see if it was the Mad Hatter playing it. Food now, everything else later.

Though, Luffy idly realized that he actually knew the song. It was a somewhat old pirate song that was often played at the bar in his old village. Binks Sake was the song name if he recalled correctly. He and Ace had often gone to that bar to enjoy the atmosphere that was created from the villagers finally being able to sit back and drink after a hard day's work. Of course the two weren't allowed to drink but it was enough to be there laughing along and have fun with the villagers who never seemed to mind that they were there. Hearing the song gave him a nostalgic feeling and made him feel a bit homesick. He had never been away from his home for this long and he wondered if anybody was missing him yet.

Curiosity peaked, Luffy turned around to see who was playing and yelled when he saw that it wasn't a person. Or rather it was but it wasn't a whole person. It was the skeleton of a person. It's bones were yellowing and still in the process of decaying. There were still rotten pieces of flesh clinging to its bones that was slowly being devoured by white wiggling maggots. The animate skeleton didn't react at all to his yell it just kept on playing.

"Oh, don't be scared of him, he won't harm you." The Mad Hatter reassured Luffy who gave her a skeptical look before he turned around to face the skeleton again. Of course, the thing that looked the scariest was the one that he didn't have to be scared of. Perfect logic. His appetite, usually big enough to eat for 3 people and then some, was gone. Especially after he watched a centipede crawl from one eye socket to the other one in the skeleton. As if reading his mind, the dishes disappeared magically and the tablecloth was back to being pure white like nothing was ever there.

"How are you doing that?" Luffy asked and the woman gave him a smile.

"After hundreds of years one develops tricks up their sleeves." Was her cryptic answer and Luffy sighed with annoyance. All he ever really got were answers that gave him even more questions than he started out with. He was beginning to think that he should just stop asking them at all and keep that tiny ever so slowly shrinking thing he called sanity.

"Why did you help me get away from the second Alice? I know you said that it was because it would hinder my journey but why do you care about that?" Luffy asked, not really expecting a straight answer but feeling obligated to ask since she did save his life and wanted to know why.

"Because the third Alice wants you to continue. She's very eager to meet you. Here, she wanted me to give you this." A white card appeared in front of Luffy, who hesitantly opened it up, admiring the lace flowers embroidered along the edges.

Alice,

You are cordially invited to my castle for a small lunch. Please come as soon as possible I hate waiting. Follow the yellow path and you will find my home. I will be expecting you so please don't keep me waiting.

-Alice the Third

It was simple and to the point. Luffy actually checked the back to make sure that there wasn't more there but it was blank.

"Is she safe or will she try to kill me as well?" Luffy asked as he pocketed the invitation.

"You'll have to find out for yourself. Although, I don't recommend ignoring that." Robin replied with a shrug.

"_You came here because you fell into the third Alice's trap and went too far into the forest."_

"Wait, she's the one who trapped me here!" Luffy exclaimed as he remembered Chesire's words and he saw something dark glint in the Mad Hatter's eyes. It looked like annoyance, maybe even anger, but it was gone too quick for Luffy it properly identify it.

"Don't you want to know why? After all, she brought you to the world where your brother is trapped in. So in a way, she helped you, no?" The woman inquired with a wave of her hand and Luffy bit his lip in thought. He never thought of it that way.

"How do I get there?" Luffy asked and the Mad Hatter's smile grew.

"Just continue down the golden path. You shall meet no more trouble until you get there." She said knowingly.

"But wait, what about the second Alice?" Luffy asked, not up to facing the one eyed man again. He remember how easily the second Alice was able to pin him although now that he had meat in his stomach Luffy was sure he could put up more of a fight. But he really didn't want to have to test that.

"He will cause you no more problems." The woman replied mysteriously. "Now, you must be on your way. You've stayed here longer than you should have."

"But how? I don't even know where the golden path is anymore."

"Close your eyes." The Mad Hatter demanded and even though Luffy didn't want to he felt his eyes close against his will and the woman watched as he disappeared, knowing that he would reappear back into the clearing. Her smile dropped and a dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

"You said too much to him." She accused softly and watched as the Chesire Cat appeared with a fake guilty look on his face. The façade was easily ruined when he broke out into a wide toothy grin.

"Can't blame me for trying." He replied.

"You shouldn't have gotten attached to him in the first place. Just because you can go to the other side because you're a cat does not mean you should allow yourself to carelessly get close to humans." The Mad Hatter scolded softly and The Chesire Cat grimaced before his eyes glazed as he remembered a memory that he treasured.

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Tell me what you think of the chapter please!

Anonymous Reviews

iSevenSins - Thank you for reviewing! I enjoyed the video so much as soon as I watched it I just had to write a fanfiction based off it XD


	5. A Chesire's Tail

Thank you for the wonderful reviews I seriously appreciate them and they put a goofy smile on my face while reading them XD

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_He was going to get in trouble for what he was doing but curiosity got the better of him. He was tired of being confined to the forest which no one went into. He eyed the village at the edge of the forest every day but today would be different. Today, he would go exploring. After all, how else would he be able to see how different that side of the world was? _

_So he groomed his short red hair and made sure the straw hat he loved to carry around with him was safely tied to him. It was pretty big on him in his cat form, it covered most of his back. He considered leaving it behind but he couldn't be sure that it would be taken away from him as punishment and if that happened he wouldn't ever see it again. He didn't honestly remember how he got the hat, for such things were rare in wonderland, and so he merely assumed that it was created with him. When he was satisfied, Chesire walked past the edge of the forest, wincing as a breeze went past him, promising punishment with it. Yep, they were angry with him but on the bright side it was now far too go back. _

_Smiling as much as he could which was fairly hard because he was a cat, Chesire trotted into the village. It was fairly small but lively. Everyone he walked past was doing something or another. Some chopped wood blocks, carried vegetable to and from stalls, brought in fish, to stalls and some sat in the mentioned stalls talking to people who walked by. _

_He continued walking until he reached the other side of the village. Somewhat disappointed that his little adventure had come to an end so soon, Chesire turned around, intent on going back to Wonderland to face his punishment. The longer he was gone the worse the punishment would be. Suddenly he was grabbed and picked up but strong hands. He automatically hissed and tried to bite the appendages but he couldn't quite reach them. He heard the owner of the hands snicker and Chesire turned his head as much as he could and saw that it was a kid. He renewed his efforts to struggle but it was all for vain. _

_He was powerless in this world. At least in Wonderland he was allowed some power but here he didn't have such luxury which was why he was confined to the forest. And he couldn't bloody well transport back to Wonderland either since he couldn't do it outside the forest and even if he could the punishment for doing it with human witnesses would warrant a punishment that would probably result in his death. Like throwing him into the first Alice's cage. Yeah, that hadn't worked out so well for the Chesire Cat before him. _

_So being powerless, Chesire found himself being carried away from the village and away from the forest. He swore if he ever got out of this he would kiss every damn tree in that forest. His ears picked up a strange sound that he had heard before but was so unfamiliar with that he couldn't remember what made the sound. He turned his head and saw blue. The ocean. _

_Immediately figuring out what the kid's had planned the cat began to squirm even more and even degraded himself by yowling his head off. There weren't any big pools of water in Wonderland and coupled with hatred for water ingrained in him, he never learned how to swim. And while he was somewhat sure that if he was in calm water he could somehow paddle back to shore, he didn't believe he could do the same with the raging waves that the ocean was creating at the moment. _

_The boy didn't drop him, if anything, his grip tightened around the cat. As soon as the waves hit the boy's shoes he stopped walking and Chesire found himself suddenly in the air. _

'_Humans can be so cruel.' Chesire thought to himself before he hit the water with a huge splash. He lost himself in the water, not being able to orient himself enough to tell where the surface was. 'Is this how I will die? In such a pitying situation? At least the Chesire Cat before me was killed in a more honorable way but killed by human like this? Unforgivable.' _

_Lack of air quickly became an issue and Chesire began to kick hard although he couldn't tell if he was kicking his cat limbs toward the surface or even deeper into the ocean. Suddenly, there was a grip around him again but this one wasn't as tight or as uncomfortable as before. Chesire still bit it the hands that he could now reach and felt satisfaction when he saw red in the murky water around him. Instead of letting go though, he found himself being lifted out of the water and he opened his mouth wide to get as much air as he could into his lungs. _

_A little light headed, Chesire found himself being carried back to the shore but wouldn't allow himself to be relieved. If his life since he was created taught him anything, humans were cruel beings that played just as cruel games. For all he knew, he was just being played with and he would be thrown back into the ocean. He waited in anticipation when they reached the shore but instead of being thrown again, he was put onto the ground. He immediately turned around to meet his savior who turned out to be a boy that couldn't have been more than a few years old. _

_He had short black hair, a scar under his left eye and had such a huge wide grin on his face that Chesire was a little taken aback. The boy sat down beside the cat and chuckled. _

"_Some bad luck you had back there running into him. He's the village bully and nobody can really stop him. You're lucky I saw what he did or you would have drowned." The boy said and Chesire looked at him curiously. He had assumed all humans were cruel but perhaps he was wrong. After all, he was basing this assumption on the humans in Wonderland. "Ah right! Here, I think this belongs to you which is kinda weird but cool."_

_Chesire Cat watched as the kid produced a straw hat and felt it being placed on top of him. It must have slipped off when he was thrown into the ocean. Not thinking of another reason to stay and weary about the so called village bully, Chesire stood up and began to walk away but then stopped and looked back to the kid who was watching him and not making a move to stop him. This kid had gone out of his way to help him and he felt an obligation to do something out of thanks. So he shook his beloved straw hat off of himself and carried it over to the boy who picked it up in surprise._

"_For me?" The boy asked and Chesire nodded. The boy's grin grew even wider as he put it on top of his head. "Thank you I will treasure it forever." _

"_LUFFY, GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE BEFORE I EAT ALL OF YOUR MEAT!" A voice bellowed and the boy jumped to his feet. _

"_Ah, that's my brother. I have to go now but I hope we see each other again. Be careful and stay away from the bully!" The one called Luffy said before he ran off. The Chesire Cat watched him run away until he disappeared before he began his journey back to the forest. Such curious creatures human were. Or maybe it was just Luffy? _

_Since that day, Chesire stayed in the forest, vowing never to go back to the village although he did feel the urge to every once in a while but only because of vague curiosity for the kid who saved him. Then one day he saw him again, in the forest, with an older similar looking boy at his side. Except the older boy didn't have a scar under his eye and he had freckles. Chesire felt oddly pleased when he saw Luffy still wearing the straw hat given to him. Then he felt a pang of fear for the first time in his existence. Luffy was here, in this dangerous forest, where he could easily stumble into Wonderland. _

_He had watched them intently until they left, hoping that they wouldn't come back. Unfortunately, they did and they kept coming back day after day after day not realizing just how much they were tempting fate. Chesire tried his hardest to keep anything from finding out they were there but one day he was tending to one of the Alice's and the older boy, who he learned later was Luffy's older brother Ace, was taken. Ever since then, he had redoubled his efforts to keeping harm away from Luffy, because instead of learning from his brother's disappearance, he kept coming back to try to find him. _

_Chesire managed to hide Luffy for 3 entire years but eventually the third Alice found out about the boy who dared trespass through the forest. Chesire could no longer help Luffy and he could only watch as he fell into the trap. _

Chesire sighed softly as he played with the straw hat. He had found it where Luffy had disappeared in the forest and considered keeping it but it felt wrong in his hands now. He would return it to Luffy although he doubted the boy would have much use for it now or would even be using it for very long.

"Will she kill him?" Chesire asked more to himself than to the Mad Hatter.

"We could only hope that he is that fortunate." The Mad Hatter replied as she materialized a cup of coffee in front of her. Chesire nodded to himself before he disappeared, a determined look on his face. The Mad Hatter shook her head in disapproval. To be so close to a _human_. "How far will you go to help the boy?"

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This is mainly a filler chapter for those who like Chesire Cat hope you guys liked it :3


	6. Clover

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The third ALICE was the girl of the clover, and very beautiful was she,

Desiring power, she used poison to get her way,

When her first attempts failed, however,

She enchanted those who ruled,

When she achieved her goals,

Her mind also went, seeing the dead all around her,

In an attempt to escape, she drank the very thing that brought her to power,

And the third rose thus fell.

Luffy slowly opened his eyes and blearily looked around him, desperately trying to get rid of the sleep in them. He was back in the clearing again only this time, much to his relief, the second Alice was nowhere to be seen. He looked up at the sun in the sky hoping that it would give him clues as to how long he had been sleeping for but the sun was still in the same spot in the sky. Yawning, Luffy stood up and looked behind him when he felt something considerably light fall off. When he saw what it was he let out a squeal of delight.

"BOSHIIIII!" He cheered as he looked over his straw hat, feeling a bit of guilt that he hadn't even realized that he didn't have it on him. Then again, running for your life makes you forget a few things. He happily put the hat on his head and the instant the straw touched his head he felt better about the situation. It was comforting to have something so familiar with him. With a wide grin he marched off to continue his journey to the third Alice with renewed courage.

Really, he had a bad feeling about going to see her but it didn't seem like he had a choice in the matter. The golden path would eventually lead to the third Alice anyway so his only other option would be to walk off it and chance being lost forever.

So he continued onward while whistling a tune to break the uncomfortable silence around him. He had always hated silence but in Wonderland he hated it even more. It made him tense in anticipation that something would jump out at him and try to kill him. Which probably wasn't far from the truth based on his experience so far.

He hadn't been walking too long when he reached the end of the forest that he had originally thought wouldn't ever end. Instead, he was now facing a huge ocean and the path lead straight into it, disappearing where the waves lapped at the shore. Beside the path, right before it disappeared, was a small unreliable looking yellow boat that looked like a boat the fishers in his village used to go out into the ocean in hopes of bringing food to the table.

He knew what he was meant to do but he chose to stay around the shore for a bit unwilling to go in. Despite growing up in a village that relied on fish for food and money, Luffy actually didn't know how to swim. No one had bothered to teach him and Ace hadn't known how to either. He could wade through shallow water but as soon as the water turned deep he sank like a rock.

Had it been anyone else, they would have turned around and tried to find a new way but Luffy was never one to turn down a challenge. So with a small sigh, he pushed the boat into the water and jumped in. He was about to start rowing with the two oars in the boat when he saw a small piece of paper. Blinking in surprise he picked up the white piece of paper and saw that it had scratchy hurried writing.

_Don't Eat Anything_

Luffy tilted his head in confusion and he turned over the paper but saw no more writing. What kind of advice was that? Don't eat anything? Did that include meat? Shrugging to himself, Luffy put the paper in the same pocket that had the third Alice's invitation and began rowing.

At first he was nervous that he would lose his way and end up rowing in the opposite direction that he was supposed to go in but when he took a close look he could actually see the golden path under the surface. So he made sure to row near the path and not lose sight of it because if he did he was so screwed. He had lost sight of the shore now so if he got lost he had no way of going back and trying again.

His arms were getting tired from rowing so much but he kept on going because the first and last time he stopped rowing for a small break the path began to shimmer away. As soon as he started rowing again the golden path went back to how it was. So he kept on rowing without taking a break. It took a while, but Luffy began to notice that the farther he rowed the darker the sky was becoming.

At first he thought that maybe it was going to be evening soon but that wasn't right either because he had to have been in Wonderland for at least two days and not once did the sun set like it was doing now. But, as he had to do with almost everything in this world, he let it go. No point in overthinking something he couldn't explain or change although rowing in the water in the dark was not fun.

Lucky for him though, the path began to softly glow so he could still see it no matter how dark it got. If he wasn't slightly scared that something would jump out of the water and attack him, Luffy would admit that it was actually rather pretty how the path was illuminated from just under the surface of the water.

Just when he thought that his arms wouldn't be able to last any longer, Luffy saw something in the distance. Something tall and wide like a tower or something. Hope being renewed and seeing a hint of his destination, Luffy paddled even faster wanting to end the ordeal. The tower thing got bigger and bigger until Luffy finally realized that it wasn't a tower it was actually a castle. Not one of those castles that he saw in fairy tales either but one of those dark ominous castles that just spelled danger.

As Luffy paddled closer to the castle he saw that it was surrounded by a town that looked just as ominous as the castle did although Luffy couldn't tell if that was how it always looked or it only looked that way because of a lack of light.

From what he could see the houses seemed old and were built with rotten wood. Some had already collapsed. If Luffy were to really think about it, the town wasn't all too different from his village if the houses were in better shape. Luffy was happy to see land all the same and wasn't deterred from docking his boat there.

Luffy finally hit the docks and he eagerly got out of the small rickety boat. As soon as his feet was standing firmly on the wooden dock the small yellow boat vanished and Luffy realized that he now had no way of escaping since he couldn't see any other boat around. Luffy looked at the town he now had to go through and was slightly relieved that the golden path would lead him through it. Just because the town was small did not mean that he wouldn't get lost.

Luffy then noticed movement in the town and ran to it, grinning when he saw that it was people. Not just a single person but quite a few. Then his smile faltered when he realized that they weren't quite right.

With the light from the candles that floated around the town by what seemed like magic he saw that everyone's skin was a sickly grey color, their eyes had an unhealthy hue of yellow and all their mouths hung open. As they walked they dragged their feet like they didn't have enough energy to lift them. Their clothing was dirty and most of them were covered in blood.

None the less, Luffy attempted to talk to a few of them but they didn't even pay attention to him or even seem to realize he was there. If he walked in front of them to try to grab their attention they would just continue walking even when they smacked into him. Instead of trying to go around him they just kept walking forward until he finally just stepped aside.

Disappointed that he wouldn't be getting any answers, Luffy continued down the golden path that was leading him to the castle where he had no doubts the third Alice resided. He gave up guessing what the third Alice would be like or what to expect when he got there.

When he reached the castle gates he studied the huge building, stalling for a bit of time. It was huge that was for sure. It was probably big enough to house all the people in the town and still have room to spare. It was so dark though it almost looked like the very bricks were painted black. The inside didn't look any brighter from what Luffy could see through the windows. Vines twisted and curled around the castle and Luffy was reminded of the cage that the first Alice had been in.

Luffy didn't want to go into the castle where the third Alice awaited him. His instincts were screaming at him to not go and his legs were itching to run away but Luffy stood his ground. He had never run away from anything in his life. Not when the village bully had beaten him up until Ace had saved him or when he was attacked by a bear and he wasn't about to start now. The third Alice had brought him and probably Ace to Wonderland so maybe he could convince her to bring them both back to their home. With a deep breath, Luffy took a step past the gate.

"Welcome." A voice said from behind him and Luffy twirled around to see a masked figure behind him. The mask was bright colored but had an eerie feeling to it nonetheless. The eye holes were small and dark so Luffy couldn't see his eyes from behind the mask. The mask also had a long nose that stuck out. The mask was framed with long curly black hair and the figure wore a long dark cloak that concealed his body.

"Are you Alice?" Luffy asked uncertain. The second Alice had been a boy so he deduced that the third one could be as well. The mask shook his head slowly.

"I am a mere servant to do her bidding." The figure said. "Please, let me bring you to her. She is waiting for you."

Luffy nodded and followed the figure into the castle. The inside was dark and for lack of a better word, spooky. From the corner of his eyes he could see white things walking near him but nothing was ever there when he looked. The walls around him seemed to contort and writhe around him but when he looked at them directly they seemed perfectly normal.

The masked man seemed unaffected so either this was normal or he didn't notice. Luffy vaguely heard noises whispering through the corridors and it almost sounded like distant screams but the sound was so faint he couldn't tell for sure.

"Who are you? Why are you listening to her?" Luffy asked conversationally.

"I am just a liar who was once a lowly jester. I am being punished for my lies." The figure replied emotionlessly and Luffy frowned.

"So you have to do whatever she says?" Luffy confirmed.

"I live to serve my Queen." The figure said as if he had said the phrase a thousand times.

"Wait she's a queen?" Luffy exclaimed and the mask man nodded.

"She is the Queen of Wonderland." The figure replied and Luffy could hear tears in his voice. Luffy was about to question him more but the man stopped walking and Luffy found himself in front of a huge golden door that had large rubies embedded into it that looked like large dots of blood in the lighting.

"Alice is here." The man shouted loudly and his voice reverberated throughout the hallways.

"Let him in immediately!" A soft feminine voice ordered behind the door. The voice sounded harmless enough, it was light and happy sounding but Luffy didn't drop his guard. The man touched the door which swung open as if he had pushed them hard and revealed a huge golden room. Literally.

The walls were a bright golden color that illuminated the room and like the door they were embedded with colorful jewels that glittered beautifully. There were long tables full of food in which the aroma of made Luffy dizzy in hunger. He shook his head and looked at the end of the room where he saw a huge throne where a girl perched daintily.

She had long luxurious vibrant blue hair which flowed down in a ponytail, soft and innocent cerulean eyes and a small smile playing at her lips. She wore a long flowing white dress that fluttered as she skipped to Luffy who could barely believe that someone so innocent was the same Alice who had imprisoned him in Wonderland.

"I am so happy to make your acquaintance!" The Alice exclaimed with a small curtsey. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you!"

"Do you know where Ace is?" Luffy asked bluntly and Alice pouted.

"Right to business? Are you not hungry after such a long day? Come let's eat and then I'll answer all your questions." Alice said as she grabbed Luffy's arm with small soft hands and gently pulled him to the nearest table. Luffy reluctantly sat down and Alice was about to follow suit when the masked man appeared from thin air.

"What is it?" Alice asked with annoyance and the man bent down to whisper in her ear. Alice frowned and Luffy saw something dangerous glint through her eyes before it went away. "My apologies, I must attend to something. Please eat as much as you can and spend the night here."

"You were going to tell about Ace after I eat!" Luffy shouted as he jumped to his feet. He didn't want to spend the night at the castle. It didn't matter how tired he was from not sleeping for two days or more, this castle was dangerous!

"Please be patient. I will bring you to Ace in the morning I promise but this matter cannot wait." Alice pleaded as she softly touched Luffy's arm. Luffy looked into her eyes and felt his anger draining and only felt acceptance.

"You better keep your promise." Luffy said warningly and Alice smiled.

"Of course. When you're done Usopp will show you to your room." Alice informed him motioning to the man with the mask. Luffy nodded in understanding before he slipped out of the room. Luffy shook his head in exasperation and was about to turn back to the table of food when suddenly the skeleton that had played music during his meeting with the Mad Hatter appeared.

"Will you allow me to play you a song?" The skeleton asked with a deep voice that had a hollow sound to it and his jaw creaking as his mouth moved up and down to talk and his rotten black tongue moving clumsily to form the words. Luffy jumped in surprise, not knowing that the skeleton had the ability to talk at all.

"Sure." Luffy replied slowly. The skeleton began to play the violin he had brought with him and Luffy was surprised to admit that the skeleton was talented in music. The skeleton began to sing in a haunted voice that gave Luffy shivers as he leaned forward to make out the words.

Once upon a time,

A King and Queen ruled with grace,

With a little girl wrapped in lace.

The little girl longed to be loved by all,

Poisoned the King and Queen and made it law.

Alices whom once and came and went were trapped,

Poisoned minds their sanity was sapped.

The first Alice who loved no other was caged,

Seething all alone in her rage.

The second Alice, loved by all, who sang with vigor,

A slender finger pulled the trigger.

The third Alice wanted to be the only one loved,

She wasn't afraid to shove.

The fourth Alice made of two, who loved only the other,

In the future will be replaced by another.

Suddenly a scream of absolute rage rang through the castle, a sound so inhuman that it pierced Luffy like little pinpricks. Black tendrils appeared and wrapped around the skeleton so thickly that Luffy was unable to even see a hint of yellow bone. The boy jumped up and attempted to help the skeleton but his hand just went through whatever was wrapped around it.

Slowly the tendrils sank into the ground and disappeared until nothing was there anymore. Luffy sank down to the ground and touched the cold golden tiles knowing deep down that he wouldn't see the skeleton again. He was surprised to feel mournful. He hadn't known the skeleton at all but he knew it hadn't meant him any harm.

"You should eat. Alice will be most displeased with both of us if you do not." Luffy looked up to see Usopp beside him, his mask looking at the spot where the skeleton had been. Luffy gave the spot a mournful look before he went back to the table. He leant forward to grab a piece of meat when a small piece of paper dropped out of his pocket. He subtly picked it up.

_Don't Eat Anything_

It was the note that was in the boat. Luffy didn't know who had written it but he didn't want to take the chance of disobeying. It wasn't like it would hurt him any to not eat but it could potentially kill him to eat the food that an Alice had given him. He looked at Usopp as he stood up.

"I would like to go to my room." Luffy said softly and Usopp seemed to hesitate, the mask turn to face the food. He didn't say anything for a few moments before he sighed and beckoned Luffy to follow him.

He led him out of the room and through a series of hallways and staircases that ensured that if Luffy wanted to get out of the castle he would have to jump out of a window because he would never be able to navigate his way out on his own.

Usopp stopped at an old wooden door and gestured for Luffy to go in. Luffy looked at the door hesitantly before he slowly pushed open a door to reveal a small but comfortable room. They had obviously expected him to stay overnight because everything was clean and not a speck of dust was to be seen.

"Luffy," Usopp said in a deadly serious voice that had Luffy giving him his full attention. "Don't wonder out of this room at all until I get you in the morning. There are old ghosts here who will lead you away."

"I won't, thank you." Luffy replied and Usopp did a small bow before he disappeared. Luffy closed his door tightly wishing that it had a lock. He turned to the room and walked to the bed, exhaustion and hunger making itself known. He just needed some sleep, just a few hours, and then he would think about what his next move was. He had to get answers then he had to get out of the castle which was something he didn't think Alice would let him do so easily.

The room actually seemed normal. He couldn't see anything moving from the corner of his eyes and if it wasn't for the fact that it was part of the castle, he would have actually liked the room. Luffy took off his slippers and sank into the bed which turned out to be very comfortable. It molded to his and the pilled cushioned his head perfectly. Sleep took over him in a matter of moments.

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Hope you guys liked the chapter it was a biit hard to write. Review or pm me your thoughts please :3 Also can anybody guess who's the 4th Alice? It's two people!


	7. Man in Chains

Thank_ you for all the wonderful reviews!_

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_Everyone was laughing and dancing. It was a party, a celebration. The Queen and King of Wonderland watched from their seat at throne as their beloved people danced around them. A tanned skin man with curly black hair, wide black eyes, a long nose and a wide grin pranced around the room comically his goal to make people laugh and smile. With every smile, his own grew. He jokingly flirted with women who had no one to dance with to cheer them up, he made an utter fool of himself by spilling food and drinks on his shirt and once he had even been daring enough to kiss the very King on the cheek. _

_Everyone was having a wonderful time. Everyone in Wonderland was happy especially since they had the gracious and just King and Queen ruling over them. _

_A little girl entered the throne room and immediately drew attention to herself. She had blue hair that was tamed into small curls that framed her face, black kohl around her eyes making them look wider and more innocent, and she wore a pink dress with lace. What were most noticeable about the girl though were her hard eyes that glinted in anger and contempt. Something dangerous glinted in her eyes when she saw the King and Queen but she covered it up by smiling widely which caused the people around her to coo and compliment her. _

_The man had noticed how she had looked when she had entered the throne room and had decided that she needed some cheering up. What better way was there to cheer a child up but with a story? He skipped dramatically to the little girl who looked up at him curiously. _

"_Do you want to hear a story?" The man asked with a huge smile. _

"_I would be happy to." The little girl replied. _

"_Well, one time I fought 100 golden monkeys in order to get their banana's which everyone knows is the best in the world! I fought them all single handed with only a slingshot. I was able to snatch up a bundle of the precious bananas and managed to get away!" The man said as he used dramatic gestures throughout the story. When he finished his story he looked at the girl for a reaction, taken aback when she glared at him. _

"_Liar." She snarled with anger in her eyes. Black tendrils of smoke slowly appeared and wrapped around her body like large writhing snakes. "You're nothing but a liar and liars need to be punished."_

Luffy woke up with a start, disoriented, remnants of his dream drifting away. He listened carefully to try to figure out what woke him up in the first place and cursed himself for letting his guard down.

There was a sound outside his door that sounded suspiciously like chains rattling and Luffy jumped out of bed in a fighting stance in case whatever it was tried to break into the room. The sound appeared again but this time it was closer and this time was followed by a thumping sound.

The two sounds kept repeating, getting louder and louder as whatever was making the noise got closer to the door. Luffy tensed in anticipation as the sound came directly behind the door and waited for the thing to break open the flimsy door.

Seconds passed by and this time the sound came from the other side of the door. Luffy blinked in surprise. He had been so sure that the thing was coming to kill him just like everything else in Wonderland. The sound kept on traveling farther and farther down the hallway and Luffy slowly walked to the door.

He waited to hear the sound one more time to ensure that it was far from his door before he quietly pushed it open. It creaked loudly and Luffy paused and tensed but he heard no sudden noise come toward him. He slowly peeked down the hall.

It was a man, a big huge man about twice Luffy's size. He had a huge muscular body, wore a red tropical shirt and only wore a red speedo for pants which made him seem so out of place in the castle. Chains were wrapped around his arms, dragging on the ground which made the sounds he had heard from behind his door. The man walked sluggishly and slow like he wasn't able to walk any faster. The man slowly turned around a corner and disappeared from sight.

Forgetting his earlier warning to not leave his room, Luffy followed from a careful distance so not to be seen but able to get a closer look at the man. Luffy saw small rivers of blood trailing down the man's arms and legs, smearing the floor with red smears of bloody footprints. Every so often the man would groan loudly, a sound that sounded nearly inhuman and would echo down the halls.

'_Don't go near him. Go back to your room. It is not safe.' _A warm familiar voice whispered in his ear and Luffy turned around but no one was there. Luffy looked down the hallway they were at and knew he could easily find his way back to his room since the bloody footprints could lead him back. He looked back at the man and knew he couldn't. Curiosity compelled him to continue following the man and he refused to go back to his room like a coward.

He continued to follow the man who seemed unaware that he was being followed. They kept going down stairways and every step the man took seemed so clumsy that Luffy kept expecting him to tumble and fall but the man always caught his balance at the last second.

The farther they went, the colder it got until eventually they went down the last flight of stairs that the castle had. Luffy flinched when his bare feet touched the cold stone floor and his eyes widened when he saw where he was. It was a dungeon, just like the ones he saw in his books.

Skeletons lay in the small dungeon rooms but they didn't move like the one that played music. They were truly dead. Luffy shuddered and kept on following the man, looking through every dungeon room to make sure nothing would jump out at him. Suddenly there was a small movement in one of the cells and Luffy cried out when he saw that it was Ace.

His brother was chained to the farthest wall, manacles wrapped around his large wrists so tightly and for so long that blood had started to run down his arms. He looked nearly exactly like he had before he disappeared. He still wore his black khaki pants without his shirt and his big black boots and he still had medium length black hair that was matted down with grease from not washing. The only big difference was his blank eyes devoid of any feelings or thoughts.

"Ace!" Luffy yelled as he clutched the bars but his brother didn't move or even seem to realize he was there. Luffy desperately shook the dungeon door and much to his surprise it just swung open without any resistance. Luffy immediately ran to his brother's side and made sure his brother was still breathing, sighing in relief when he found his pulse. It was weak and slow but Ace was still alive.

"I'll get you out of here." Luffy muttered with determination as he clutched the manacles. They came apart easily which caused Luffy to frown. His brother wasn't weak and he should have been able to break out of them easily. Luffy concluded that it might have been because of the dried blood or something and instead pulled Ace to his feet. His brother stumbled a bit but managed to stay up.

"Ace, you got to snap out of it. I'll get you out of here, I promise. We'll go home and everything will go back to normal. I promise. But you need to get it together." Luffy said as he shook his brother but he got no response. Luffy shook his head and pulled his brother out of the dungeon. The man with the chains around his wrists was gone.

With Ace's wrist firmly in his hand, Luffy led them both back up the stairs. He had to find a way out of the castle. Luffy pulled Ace back up the stairs and carefully ran through the castle in an attempt to find a way out.

It felt like hours were going by but Luffy was still unable to find a way out. He was considering trying to break a window and jump out of it when he suddenly turned a corner and slammed into Usopp.

"I will help you get out of here." Usopp said and began to walk in the opposite direction Luffy had been headed without waiting for a reply. Luffy's eyes narrowed in suspicious but he followed him nonetheless, making sure to keep a firm grip on Ace's wrist.

"Won't Alice be mad at you for letting us out?" Luffy asked.

"I will tell her that you found your own way out. There are no guards here she never needed them." Usopp answered in a strangely mechanic kind of voice. After a few twists and turns Usopp stopped walking and pointed down a hallway. "If you go down this hallway you will see the front door."

"Thank you." Luffy said, keeping the suspicion out of his voice. He watched as Usopp walked away until he disappeared into the shadows. He didn't think that Usopp was a bad person but he also didn't believe that he would be so bold as to help him out of the castle and go against Alice's orders.

Luffy shook his head and began to walk down the hallway. He had to get Ace out of the castle. Then he could worry about everything else like how to get out of Wonderland. He kept expecting someone or something to jump out of the shadows but nothing happened. When he reached the end of the hallway he saw that Usopp had led him to the right direction.

Luffy rushed to the door and pushed it open. Without a backward glance Luffy pulled Ace out of the castle and hurried past the castle gate. He began to walk on the golden path that led past the castle and to the other side of the town where hopefully there would be a way out.

As Luffy walked he watched the villagers ambling around like zombies and realized with a start that it was how Ace was acting. Luffy looked back at his older brother that used to be so vibrant with life who's eyes were dull and lifeless, skin so pale and cold and who's expression was limp. Whatever had made the people in town like this it had effected Ace as well.

"We got to get you out of here and figure out what she did to you." Luffy muttered as he began to slow down. They made it to the other side of town without incident but Luffy kept his guard up even more than before. He had to guard Ace now who was in no position to protect himself.

When they reached the edge of town Luffy saw the same yellow rickety boat parked at the docks right on the golden path which continued on into the water. With a lot of difficulty, Luffy got Ace into the boat before he began to paddle away. He kept a careful watch on Ace who wasn't able to swim either and even if he did Luffy doubted he could in the state he was in.

"We're going home, Ace. It won't be long, you'll see. Soon we'll be back in Makino's bar with all the fishermen in the village. We'll dance and sing like we used to." Luffy said to Ace with raw determination in his eyes. He had Ace now. Now to go home.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Peals of laughter bounced of the golden walls as Alice played with a rotten skull with her small childlike hands. She twirled it around in her hands before she gave it a squeeze. She let out another bout of laughter as it broke apart.

"Everything went just as planned. I'm so proud of you both!" She murmured as she tossed the pieces of the skull at the feet of Usopp and the man with chains around his wrists. In the corner of the room, a little bloody deer was chewing on one of the numerous bones that littered the throne room, its teeth making clicking and cracking noises that echoed throughout the room.

"I am glad to have pleased you my Majesty." Usopp said his body trembling. Blood came out of his eye holes and trailed down the mask. The blood dripped off his mask and landed on the floor that he was staring at in shame and guilt.

"Oh?" Alice noised as she gracefully walked to Usopp who flinched. She wiped a drop of blood with her fingers and slowly licked it off. "You should not feel so bad. If, no when, my plan is successful you can see them anytime you want."

"Of course my Majesty." Usopp whimpered and Alice gave him a soft smile as she cooed to him reassuringly. She turned to walk back to her throne, kicking a bone along her way.

"I was so worried that he would give away my plan. This is what I get for being so generous to that Chesire Cat. He just seemed so happy to get a musician." She said in irritation as she sat back down. "Speaking of the Chesire Cat, have you been able to track him down?"

"He is nowhere to be found, my Majesty. Perhaps he is on the other side." Usopp replied and Alice's expression darkened.

"Chopper, go and look for the Chesire Cat on the other side at once. You are to bring him to me. I will not let anyone stand in my way. I had sincerely hoped that he would learn from the Chesire Cat before him but it would seem that I was wrong." The reindeer bowed his head to Alice before it ran off. Alice's eyes watched over Chopper until he disappeared before her eyes went back to Usopp who was still crying blood. "Tell me." She demanded and Usopp stood up straight in obedience.

"You are loved by everyone throughout Wonderland. Those who dared not love you or has loved someone else or been loved by someone else has been punished. You are the most loved person in the entire land. Everyone loves you and only you."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Chesire Cat looked through the vine bars of the prison at the first Alice who glared at him. Her eyes took note of his every movement and she licked her lips as her orange eyes filled with bloodlust.

"Come here little kitty," She cooed as she sauntered to the edge of her cage. "I'll show you what I did to the last little kitten who wandered too near."

"I am but a cat, how much fun can I be? Don't you crave something more fun?" Chesire Cat asked and watched as the first Alice's eyes widened in excitement at just the mere thought.

He picked up a bag and from it he took out a long metal pole that had a ball at both ends and one in the middle. It was covered in brown dried blood and a ball at one end of the ball was dented from being used to hit something repeatedly.

"Give me that!" The first Alice screamed as she thrust her arms through the vines in an attempt to grab it from him. The thorns pierced her arms and her face where she had it pressed against the vines to give herself more room to try to grab it from him.

"Of course, you can't have fun without it after all." Chesire Cat murmured.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

I'm not sure when I will be able to update I have 3 final exams to do so I need to get studying but I will try to update as soon as I can. Also I'm thinking about writing a sequel to this fanfiction and made a poll on my profile so please check it out and if enough people want me to write it I will ^^


	8. The End

Said Twins were indeed the fourth Alice,

Their curiosity drove them as they wandered throughout,

Their imaginations moving their feet,

Neither could imagine the horrors that had happened here,

As they wandered, they got lost,

The sister for Right, the brother for left, in a moment of unexplained rage,

The Boy wandered wonderland carrying his sister's body.

And the fourth rose fell.

Luffy sighed as the boat finally hit land. There hadn't been any incident since they left the castle thankfully. As he helped Ace out of the boat he looked at the horizon and wondered if Usopp was okay. Luffy shook his head before he grabbed Ace's hand and began to walk along the golden path.

Ace hadn't reacted in the slightest and Luffy was beginning to worry that he would never go back to the way he was. He didn't know what the third Alice did to him but it seriously screwed with Ace.

"When we get back home you'll get back to normal I just know it." Luffy said confidently to a non-responsive Ace. With a determined smile on his face Luffy picked up the pace slightly but making sure to keep a pace that Ace could keep up with in his current state.

"Makino is still working at the bar. I'm sure she'll cook us both big huge meals when we get back. Remember her meals Ace? Big juicy steaks or that famous meat ball spaghetti she makes!" Luffy said happily not the least bit perturbed when Ace showed no emotion or even hunger to the mention of his favorite food. It felt less lonely with Ace with him even if he didn't talk back to him.

Luffy chatted to him happily all the while keeping a close eye on his surroundings. All he could see was a wide open field before them but he knew that there was at least one more Alice they had to defeat in order for them to leave Wonderland and he didn't know if he could do it and protect Ace at the same time. Luffy sighed to himself as he scratched his head. He would have to figure it out when the time came.

The other problem was his energy. He was slowly running out of energy after days of no food aside the one time he ate the food that the Mad Hatter had given him and then the only sleep he had for god knows how many days was one night. Then the whole running for his life part didn't exactly help either. Luffy hoped that they got to the exit of wonderland soon or he didn't know how much longer he could hold out.

Luffy paused when he saw a forest in the horizon. It looked exactly like the forest back at home and for a brief moment Luffy was struck with nostalgia. If only he had listened to the villagers 3 years back then he wouldn't be in the mess he was in now. It was ironic in a way if the exit was in the forest. Ending where it started in a way.

When they finally reached and entered the forest Luffy looked around warily. It was exactly the same as the forest by the village. It was just as dark as the other forest and even the trees looked the same. Luffy looked over at Ace to see if the familiarity sparked anything in the dull brown eyes but his face remained blank

"When we get home you'll come back. I just know it." Luffy muttered as he tugged Ace along the golden path that began to glow when they entered the forest. He was so close to the exit he could feel it. He just had to get there. He had come so far he had even gotten Ace back. Now he would get them both back home.

A giggle echoed through the forest and Luffy immediately stopped in his tracks and dropped into a fighting position. It reminded him too much of the first Alice. He made sure Ace was directly behind him before he let go of his brother's hand.

"Look Alice, another Alice!" A feminine voice cried joyfully and Luffy turned to the direction the voice had come from but the trees concealed whoever had spoken.

"So these two are the ones that are going to replace us." Another voice replied behind Luffy who looked around frantically.

"We're not replacing anybody. We just want to leave this place. We don't want to fight so please just let us go." Luffy said with a voice stronger than he felt.

"Do you hear that Alice? He just wants to go home." The feminine voiced cooed mockingly and another giggle rang through the forest.

"Nobody is allowed to leave Wonderland. We've tried and tried but we can't leave. What makes you so special that you can leave?" The male voice asked bitterly.

"But if we allow you to stay you will eventually kill us to replace us."

"Then let us go. We will leave this place." Luffy replied calmly.

A shadow moved and a girl stepped out. She was younger than Luffy by a few years; she was about 13 or so. She peered at him through what seemed like innocent black eyes but the longer Luffy looked at them the more they seemed off. A smirk played on her lips and she was hiding her hands behind her back making Luffy suspicious. He was vaguely surprised that there were no bloodstains on her overlarge white shirt but he supposed that the other Alice's killed everyone before they reached her. The little girl made an "o" shape with her lips as if she was surprised.

"Alice, show yourself! It's rude to talk to someone without showing your face." She said sternly and the male voice chuckled.

"I'm sorry Alice, I didn't mean to be rude." Luffy looked and saw a man step out from behind a tree. He had short green hair with matching colored eyed that gleamed dangerously. He also wore a white shirt but he had on green army like clothing. Also, in each of his hands, he held a sword. One sword had a black hilt with purple black flames on the blade while the other had a red hilt with a normal blade.

Luffy's eyes widened and he looked at the girl to see her holding her one sword which had a white hilt. All three swords looked sharp which put Luffy at a huge disadvantage. He was good in fists fights, he could take a beating and not even flinch, but he cut easily. Luffy quickly pushed Ace to the side and he watched warily as the two began to circle him like animals would do to prey just before they attacked.

"We won't allow you to kill us. We know the third Alice sent you to replace us and we won't let you." The man accused angrily.

"She's jealous that we only love each other. We won't let you separate us. We won't let you kill us!" The girl yelled which was Luffy's only warning before they both sprang toward him. Blades flew around him so quickly that he could barely dodge them. They kept flying at him in different directions and he just barely managed to dodge the fatal blows but the blades still managed to slice at his skin giving him long cuts.

After a few minutes of dodging Luffy noticed how they were both smiling playfully and realized that they weren't even trying to kill him. They were playing with him like a cat playing with a mouse. Luffy caught sight of Ace who was still staring ahead blankly and Luffy cried out in pain when a blade cut right into his arm. He dodged a blade aimed for his heart and he managed to kick at another blade. With his foot still on the blade Luffy used it as leverage to jump out of the whirlwind of blades and land behind the man. Without pausing Luffy ran at the man intent on knocking him out. He wielded two of the swords so if he was knocked out then he would have a chance at getting away.

Luffy was steps away from landing a blow hard enough to knock the green haired man out when a blade hit him in the stomach with its dull edge and swung him into the air. Luffy flew into a tree and hit his head. He fell onto the ground in a heap and his vision swam as he desperately wobbled back onto his feet.

"Play time's over now. Time to take a nap." The girl announced playfully and Luffy managed to make out a blade coming straight towards him. It was coming at him too quickly for him to dodge and Luffy gritted his teeth and prepared for pain.

* * *

Screams. So much screaming.

Pain. So much pain.

Memories he once cherished left him.

Childish laughter surrounded him.

Black smoke.

Darkness.

A cry of pain.

Ace's eyebrows furrowed as the cry rang through his mind repeatedly. It didn't leave him like all the other sounds did. It nagged him and dragged him back into consciousness. Slowly, Ace's eyes focused and the first thing he saw was a large patch of blood. He frowned as he stared at the patch of blood on the ground.

Ace shook his head and looked around at his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was…well he couldn't remember much. His eyes narrowed when he saw two figures, one man and one a girl. The man held two swords and the girl held one. They were both walking to another figure, a boy, which was against a tree.

The person behind the tree looked familiar. A smiling face ran through his mind. Laughter rang through his ears, a sound so familiar that Ace couldn't believe he had forgotten. Images ran through his mind of him and that boy running through fields, wondering through forests, climbing up cliffs, laughing in a bar. Luffy.

Ace's eyes widened when he saw the girl thrust her blade at his baby brother and his body moved faster than it had ever moved before. He moved in front of the blade, in front of his baby brother who Ace lived for, and it pierced his side. The girl's eyes widened and she jerked the blade out of his body.

"Ace!" Luffy cried out in shock. He ran to his brother who turned and gave him a loving smile.

"Like I would let my little brother die." Ace murmured as he staggered.

"You're bleeding badly!" Luffy shouted as he watched blood pour out of the wound and patter onto the ground. Ace grimaced and pressed his hand against the wound to try to stop or slow down the bleeding.

"It didn't pierce anything vital I'll live." Ace reassured his brother with a weak smile.

"That is a matter of opinion." The girl sneered before she raised her blade again and swung it down. Ace immediately turned his back to the blade and embraced his brother in his arms so Luffy wouldn't do something stupid like jump in front of him. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain of the blade slicing through his body.

THUD

Ace frowned and turned his head to see an orange haired woman swinging a metal pole with three balls around. She laughed maniacally as she swung the odd pole right into the other girls head. The pole made another thud followed by a loud cracking sound when it connected. Blood flew everywhere as the girl's body went flying into the air, her head caved in by the impact.

The man roared in anger and despair before he charged at the ginger who immediately swung her pole to meet with his blades.

"Come on, cut me up! I dare you! I double dare you!" The woman squealed excitedly.

"That's the first Alice." Luffy whispered in surprise and Ace turned to him. Suddenly a stranger appeared in by them. He had blood red hair and scars on his face. Immediately Ace went into a defensive stance but Luffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't Ace he doesn't mean us any harm. He's the Chesire Cat and he's helped me get this far."

"We need to get out of here before she starts attacking you two." The man, the Chesire Cat, said as he pulled both of them forward. He pulled them back onto the golden path and urged them to run. "Hurry! The exit is just ahead!"

Luffy was grateful for the hand pulling them forward it gave him strength. He looked at Ace who looked like he was having difficulty running and was griping at his wound with a pained look on his face. Ace noticed Luffy looking at him worriedly and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine Luffy." Ace said. "We'll be out of here soon and then we can get it patched up."

"Yeah!" Luffy said determinedly.

"There it is!" The Chesire said as he pointed ahead. Luffy looked ahead but couldn't see anything. All he saw was trees. He looked at Ace who also had a confused look on his face. The Chesire Cat came to a stop and Luffy looked around.

"I don't see anything." Luffy said and the Chesire Cat pointed down with a clawed finger. Luffy followed his finger and saw a huge hole that was hidden by the shadows. "We have to jump into the hole?" Luffy asked and Chesire Cat nodded.

"It will bring you home." The Chesire Cat said with a wary smile.

"What about you? Come with us!" Luffy said and the Chesire Cat gave him a sad smile as he shook his head.

"This is my home I can't permanently leave. The most I can do is leave for a short while but eventually I would have to return here. It wasn't always like this. Wonderland used to be a place where kids could escape the real world for a little while. It used to be happy and joyous. The third Alice destroyed that but I have a feeling someday it will go back to the way it was." The Chesire said with a lopsided smile. "Until then I have to stay here. Go home Luffy, you too Ace. I'll be fine."

Tears gathered in Luffy's eyes as he hugged the Chesire Cat who used an arm to hug him back. Laughter rang through the forest and the Chesire Cat urgently nudged Luffy to the hole.

"Ace, you go first." Luffy ordered. Ace was about to protest but he saw the determined look on Luffy's face and knew better than to argue.

"Thank you for everything. For helping my brother and for helping me." Ace said to the Chesire Cat who gave him a happy smile. Ace took a deep breath before he bravely jumped into the hole. Luffy gave the Chesire Cat one last grateful look before he followed his brother down the hole.

He was falling. It was dark. Too dark to see anything. Luffy reached out to try to grab something to slow his descent but all he got was air. He yelled out Ace's name but no noise came out of his mouth. He just kept falling, falling, falling. He began to lose all his senses and he closed his eyes.

* * *

"Luffy! Luffy wake up!" Luffy groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He felt like he had been thrown around a few times like a sack of potatoes then just for the hell of it thrown against a wall a few times. Then Luffy sat up straight as he remembered what had happened and his vision swam.

"Are we home?" Luffy mumbled out and he heard Ace let out a sigh.

"I don't know. We're in a forest still but I can't see or hear anyone. Only way we'll know for sure is if we walk out of here." Ace said and Luffy nodded. He slowly stood up and then helped Ace walk through the forest. Ace's wound was still sluggishly bleeding and soon he had to lean most of his weight against Luffy who didn't protest in the least. He was just glad his big brother was back.

Navigating through the forest was difficult especially since they couldn't see any golden path. Eventually they saw light and they picked up the pace. Soon the light enveloped them and they had to blink a few times and let their eyes adjust to suddenly being in light again before they could see. Luffy saw a huge field and the sight at the end of the field nearly made him fall to his knees.

It was his home. The village looked exactly the same as it did before he left. If he squinted he could just almost make out the people bustling around. They were home. He had saved his brother, brought him back and then got them both home. He did it. They were really back.

Luffy took a step toward the village but Ace stopped him. Luffy looked at his brother and saw Ace giving a determined look at the forest. Slowly, Ace leant down and stuck his hand down his black boot and pulled out a lighter that Luffy had gotten him for his birthday. Ace always kept it in his boot so it couldn't fall out as easily as it could in a pocket. Luffy was mildly surprised that Ace still had it he had thought that the third Alice would've taken it from him.

"We have to prevent anyone else from falling into Wonderland." Ace said and Luffy's eyes widened when he realized what Ace intended to do. Slowly Ace limped to the nearest tree and he flicked his lighter on. He brought the flame close to the tree so it touched the bark. The tree lit on fire and the fire traveled quickly until it enveloped the entire tree. Soon the fire spread to other trees and eventually, after an hour, the entire forest was burning.

A scream came out of the forest, a loud shrill sound filled with anger. It was a sound that put shivers down Luffy's spine. It promised of revenge and pain and he somehow knew it belonged to the third Alice. It was a sound that would haunt his dreams in the future but for now it was a symbol of their victory of the escape from Wonderland.

"Let's go home, little brother." Ace whispered and Luffy nodded. They both turned their backs to the burning forest and began the slow trip back to their home.

* * *

I can't believe I finished it. I never really thought I would when I first wrote it since on the other account I had this story on didn't seem very well liked.

Thank you to all the people who gave me reviews through out the story it really encouraged me to keep writing and finish this story. I'm not sure how many people will like how I ended the story but it leaves the story open ended in a way and leaves a possibility of a sequel although I definantly won't be writing one until I finish Tormented Soul. Thank you everyone who stuck through it I really am grateful to you guys.


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